State Reps. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Dan Ramos (D-Lorain) sent a letter to Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday calling on him to impose a moratorium on executions in Ohio to further review the new execution drug combination policy and provide a thorough report of last Thursday’s execution. This comes after last week’s controversial execution, in which the State used an untested two-drug lethal injection method. The family of inmate Dennis McGuire plans to file federal lawsuit against the state, citing the U.S. constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Reps. Antonio and Ramos will present sponsor testimony today in House Judiciary Committee on their bipartisan legislation, House Bill 385, to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life in prison without parole.

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

January 22, 2014

The Honorable John R. KasichGovernorRiffe Center, 30th Floor77 South High St.Columbus, OH 43215

Dear Governor Kasich:

We write today to express great concern about the recent execution of a death row inmate and in anticipation of the five executions scheduled this year. The controversial, experimental drug combination administered had troublesome consequences and seemingly conflicted with U.S. Constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The nation, indeed the world, watched as the State of Ohio used the first ever administration of a two drug lethal injection. As you know, the inmate was exposed to a combination of the sedative midazolam and the painkiller hydromorphone. It took the inmate over 20 minutes to die, during which he seemingly suffered from air hunger. This occurrence certainly raises serious constitutional questions, and it is our hope that other states, as well as Ohio, take great pause from the outcome of Thursday’s execution.

Along with this instance, there is growing support from national and state leaders, organizations and Ohio citizens in ending the death penalty altogether due to the shortage of the one-drug supply, pentobarbital, as well as the ethical, moral, and economic implications of administering the death penalty.

With that in mind, we write to request a moratorium on executions until there is further review of the drug combination policy and a thorough report of Thursday’s execution is available. We applaud your leadership in commuting four death row inmates to life without parole. But we implore you to use your executive power to grant a full moratorium until we can ensure that humane and constitutional policies are in place.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to your prompt response.

The lead Democrat on the Ohio House’s Health Committee, Democratic Whip and state Rep. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood), today responded to the latest dire report on Ohio’s statewide opioid overdose and addiction emergency.

The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences released the report “Taking Measure of Ohio’s Opioid Crisis” Tuesday, highlighting the grim realities many in the state are experiencing, but also making a case for greater treatment access and expanded educational and economic opportunities for Ohioans.

“This report confirms that treatment is necessary to stem the tide of this opioid crisis, and clearly we do not have enough treatment options currently available,” said Antonio. “We can do better. We must do better. Taxpayers deserve better economic opportunities, a strong and affordable educational foundation, and greater access to healthcare services – all things that we know will prevent opioid addiction and abuse.”